TheFellowshipOfFacebook: Thoughts on "CyberCrits" and the Church

Thoughts on "CyberCrits" and the Church

People "New" to Facebook, Chatting, Texting, and Social Networking all feel a certain "secret" pleasure at being somewhat anonymous, and almost always, something they are not.

In 90% of the people I meet and fellowship on line with, almost none of them do not "feel" an accountability for the words they write. They don't realize that the words they are writing will stay on the internet. The Statements they are making are going to follow them long after they have forgotten they said them.

"At the time" a person may "mouth off" venting some frustration, but later when read, to the embarrassment of the individual, the Words come back to bite them because someone somewhere will quote them back to you. In "normal" personal conversation, two parties can "get together" and "hash out" their differences and solve most issues. While words spoken are recorded in heaven, the words we speak to each other, we have a chance to make amends by forgiveness, restitution, explanation and personal contact.

NOT SO ON THE INTERNET

People I talk to all have a Cyber-Personality they portray, "knowingly or not" by their postings and style they present themselves. This is good and bad. Bad in that a person becomes what they are writing in so far as if they are hostile on the Internet, they are more than likely a hostile person in real life, but suppressing it with outward covers. 

But put them on the Internet and they "think" the WWW means WILD WILD WEST and they go to town and try to tear up the place presuming "no one knows". WHOOPS, surprise, behind the scenes of the Internet, ALL information is recorded. Not in some conspiracy theory but just because it is data. Thats it. Pure and simple.

But the Bible warned us about words, and if you haven't realized; you are what you read or "see". 

Cybercrits are the new hypocrites.

They are the "vogue" of modern "mega-ministries" and pandered to by 21st Century Church. 

It goes something like this, I don't have time to go to church, I don't have time to be in church, so I'll catch a podcast, or a Text, watch on IPAD and phone and YOU TUBBIE my fellowship my catching a Flashversion or "real time" broadcast. While none of these are bad WITH a church and participating IN a fellowship setting. NONE of these excuse hypocrisy on the Internet. How so? Have someone who is NOT YOU read the last few hundred lines of text you wrote. Is that the real you? Are you representing yourself as Loving? Or are you words, and your sins, finding you out?

The Church wants to help, but it often plays catch up because it needs the person it is seeking to help.

YOU.

CyberCrits never realize that the selfishness they are exercising is a denial of the personal experiences God Gave to the Person TO SHARE with another person in Church.

ANYONE can CYBER LOVE just like everyone can make up an excuse

NOT TO GET PERSONAL IN CHURCH

or

NOT TO GO.

The question then a person must ask is:

Just How Personal Really is Your God?

 

 

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DailyBread: Like A Hypocrite

Like A Hypocrite

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January 26, 2011 — by Dave Branon
Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn
God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love . . . made us alive together with Christ. —Ephesians 2:4-5
Bible in a year:
Exodus 14-15; Matthew 17

Ray Stedman told about a young man who had stopped attending the church Ray was pastoring. The young man said that when he was at work he would sometimes lose his temper and treat co-workers poorly. Then, when Sunday rolled around, he didn’t want to go to church because he felt like a hypocrite.

Stedman told his young friend, “A hypocrite is someone who acts like something he isn’t. When you come to church, you are acting like a Christian. You are not a hypocrite at church.” Suddenly, the young man realized where he was being a hypocrite. He recognized that the answer was not in avoiding church but in changing the way he was at work.

The term hypocrite is from a Greek word that means “play-actor.” It means we pretend to be something we aren’t. Sometimes we forget our true identity as believers in Jesus. We forget that we are accountable to God. When we do that, we live the way we “once walked” (Eph. 2:2) and thus are hypocrites.

Let’s not let our old ways make us act like someone we’re not. Instead, through God’s grace, let’s live in a way that shows we are “alive together with Christ” (v.5). That’s a sure cure for hypocrisy.


Consistency! How much we need
To walk a measured pace,
To live the life of which we speak,
Until we see Christ’s face. —Anon.

It is the inconsistent Christian who helps the devil the most.

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MikeMacintosh: "God will use negative things in our lives to test uss"

Then the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and He said, "Because this nation has transgressed My covenant which I commanded their fathers, and has not heeded My voice, I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the Lord, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not." Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out immediately; nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua.
Judges 2:20-23

God will use negative things in our lives to test us, to let us see what we're made of.  It's interesting that the Angel of the Lord brought to Joshua a message of encouragement:

 "Be strong, be of great courage" (Joshua 1:6; 1:9).
"Do not fear; I am with you to deliver you says the Lord" (Joshua 1:9).

But with this new generation here in the Book of Judges, the Angel of the Lord brought a message of punishment. What a parallel. One generation gets encouragement for their obedience to God, and the other discouragement due to their lack of trust in His word.  For one battle, the people of Israel checked in with God, but then they lost every other battle afterward. And that's what happens when we're in the flesh; we give up and say, "I can't do this so I'll just sort of give in here and there, and I'll somehow get by." But you can't compromise.  God does not hesitate to remove His blessings if our suffering will motivate us to return back to Him.

So if you know people that are suffering or are in pain, you may want to pray for them in a new light.  God loves them so much and He will do whatever it takes to bring them to Himself. When we're not in right relationship with Jesus Christ, it's open season for the devil. Every time we walk according to God's Word, the blessings of heaven pour out, and every time we grow closer to the world the enemy's curse devours us. Remember to never neglect God's Word. Be a man or a woman today who, like Joshua, stands up for righteousness. May the Holy Spirit release you today that there would be no compromise, and that your desire would be for a pure heart.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10).

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MyUtmostForHisHighest: "recognizing and relying on Him"

Look Again and Consecrate

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If God so clothes the grass of the field . . . , will He not much more clothe you . . . ? —Matthew 6:30

A simple statement of Jesus is always a puzzle to us because we will not be simple. How can we maintain the simplicity of Jesus so that we may understand Him? By receiving His Spirit, recognizing and relying on Him, and obeying Him as He brings us the truth of His Word, life will become amazingly simple. Jesus asks us to consider that “if God so clothes the grass of the field . . .” how “much more” will He clothe you, if you keep your relationship right with Him? Every time we lose ground in our fellowship with God, it is because we have disrespectfully thought that we knew better than Jesus Christ. We have allowed “the cares of this world” to enter in (Matthew 13:22), while forgetting the “much more” of our heavenly Father.

“Look at the birds of the air . . .” (Matthew 6:26). Their function is to obey the instincts God placed within them, and God watches over them. Jesus said that if you have the right relationship with Him and will obey His Spirit within you, then God will care for your “feathers” too.

“Consider the lilies of the field . . .” (Matthew 6:28). They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all other things. Did Jesus Christ lie to us? Are we experiencing the “much more” He promised? If we are not, it is because we are not obeying the life God has given us and have cluttered our minds with confusing thoughts and worries. How much time have we wasted asking God senseless questions while we should be absolutely free to concentrate on our service to Him? Consecration is the act of continually separating myself from everything except that which God has appointed me to do. It is not a one-time experience but an ongoing process. Am I continually separating myself and looking to God every day of my life?

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ExperiencingGod: "Praying with Tears"

Praying with Tears

Daily Devotional for Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear. (Heb 5:7)

The life of Jesus provides the model for our prayer lives. God is seeking to mold us into the image of His Son (Col. 1:27?28). If we are to act like Christ, our prayer lives must be conformed to His. Many Christians are unwilling to pay the price that Jesus paid when it comes to interceding with God. Jesus' prayers came with vehement cries and tears and, ?because of His godly fear,? He was heard by the Father.

Why then, did the Father refuse His request? It was not due to any sin in Jesus' life, nor was it because the Father did not love His Son. The Father said no, despite the unfathomable love He had for His Son, because He knew He could not spare His Son and save a world. Likewise, the Lord cannot always spare you and your family and complete His redemptive work in those around you.

Are you willing for God to deny your pleadings? Will you intercede with the Father so deeply and intimately that even in the midst of your tears you are able to say, ?Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done?? The Father will always relate to you out of the context of His love for a lost world. Has God said no to one of your requests recently? Accept His answer. Have you been learning obedience through what you have been suffering_(Heb. 5:8)? If you have, God may choose to make you a source of salvation to others even as He did with His Son.

 

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RayStedman: "Watch And Pray"

Watch And Pray

A devotion for January 26th
Read the Scripture: Mark 14:26-52

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Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. Simon, he said to Peter, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak (Mark 14:37-38).

The enemy has little struggle with Peter. It is not even necessary to threaten to throw him to the lions or burn him at the stake. His resolve collapses by the simple expedient of making him too sleepy to pray. That is all; and that tremendous determination of will, that firm resolve, dissolves, and Peter is as weak as putty when the moment comes. He is weak because he lacks the strengthening of prayer. The devil only had to make him sleepy, that is all. I am sure this was a satanic attack. The sword Jehovah was wielding, which hurt and distressed the Son of God, was now affecting the disciples, and Satan was allowed to appear as a stealthy sandman, dropping sleep into their eyes. So they fell asleep instead of praying.

Jesus analyzes the situation. He comes and finds them, and there is almost a touch of humor here. After He wakes them up, He says to these disciples, Peter, couldn't you watch one hour? Couldn't your resolve and fierce determination last at least that long?Then He tells us why Peter could not do it. The spirit is willing, Peter. I know your heart. I know you love me. Your spirit is perfectly willing. But Peter, you relied upon your flesh. The flesh is weak.

We have all felt this, have we not? We have been asked to do something, and we say,The spirit is willing, but the flesh is ready for the weekend. The flesh is weak. Jesus says that is the nature of the flesh. That human sense of independence, the confidence we have in ourselves, is always weak in the hour of testing. It cannot stand the test. This is the analysis Jesus gives of Peter's problem. The key is prayer. If Peter, feeling sleepy and weak, had followed Jesus' example and cast himself upon the Father and told Him the problem, the father would have carried him through, and he would not have denied his Lord.

It is our weakness that is our security, not our strength. That is why I am not terribly impressed when young people tell me how much they are going to do for God and how certain they are that they can carry it through. I have learned, out of sad experience in my own life as well as by the testimony of Scripture, that in the hour of testing, this self-confidence will all wash away. But I have confidence in the man or woman who says, I'm scared. I don't think I can do this, but I'm going to try because God tells me to. I'm looking to Him to strengthen me.

Father, open my eyes and heart to understand that apart from You I can do nothing. You are the shepherd upon whom I can rely, to whom I can go in the hour of anguish and find the strength to do what You are calling me to do.

Life Application: Do we presume to obediently follow Jesus in our own human pseudo-energy and inadequate resources? Why is prayer an urgent necessity for this faith journey?

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RaulRies: "“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren,"

WEDNESDAY, January 26, 2011

God Blesses the Giver

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for
his need, whatever he needs.”

Deuteronomy 15:7-8

If he cannot pay it back, awesome. If he can pay it back, that is more blessing, but you do not worry about it. That is the way we are to give to people, not expecting anything in return.

I know a pastor who is such an example of giving as God intends. When he lends to people, he does not expect anything back. Once, a ministry in Mexico borrowed money. Then, all of a sudden, Mexico’s economy fell, and they could not pay him back. They were in his debt, but he forgave the debt. He has done it for many people. What did God do? God blessed him with more.

That is the way God is. When you help, and you are not greedy or stingy, God blesses. God says we should not be stingy. Think of how many people are like that.

We should be giving willingly and hilariously to the Lord. When you give to the poor, you are making an investment into God’s kingdom. Remember what Jesus taught in Matthew 19:21: â€œIf you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

We are to get, not just in order to have,
but in order to give.
-Author Unknown-

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Evening Devotionals by Spurgeon: "All they that heard it wondered at those things."

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Evening ... January 26
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
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Luke 2:18

All they that heard it wondered at those things.

 

We must not cease to wonder at the great marvels of our God. It would be very difficult to draw a line between holy wonder and real worship; for when the soul is overwhelmed with the majesty of God's glory, though it may not express itself in song, or even utter its voice with bowed head in humble prayer, yet it silently adores. Our incarnate God is to be worshipped as "the Wonderful." That God should consider His fallen creature, man, and instead of sweeping him away with the besom of destruction, should Himself undertake to be man's Redeemer, and to pay his ransom price, is, indeed marvellous! But to each believer redemption is most marvellous as he views it in relation to himself. It is a miracle of grace indeed, that Jesus should forsake the thrones and royalties above, to suffer ignominiously below for you. Let your soul lose itself in wonder, for wonder is in this way a very practical emotion. Holy wonder will lead you to grateful worship and heartfelt thanksgiving. It will cause within you godly watchfulness; you will be afraid to sin against such a love as this. Feeling the presence of the mighty God in the gift of His dear Son, you will put off your shoes from off your feet, because the place whereon you stand is holy ground. You will be moved at the same time to glorious hope. If Jesus has done such marvellous things on your behalf, you will feel that heaven itself is not too great for your expectation. Who can be astonished at anything, when he has once been astonished at the manger and the cross? What is there wonderful left after one has seen the Saviour? Dear reader, it may be that from the quietness and solitariness of your life, you are scarcely able to imitate the shepherds of Bethlehem, who told what they had seen and heard, but you can, at least, fill up the circle of the worshippers before the throne, by wondering at what God has done.

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Morning Devotionals by Spurgeon: "Your heavenly Father"

Devotionals by Spurgeon Sermons

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Morning ... January 26
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
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Matthew 6:26

Your heavenly Father.

 

God's people are doubly His children, they are His offspring by creation, and they are His sons by adoption in Christ. Hence they are privileged to call Him, "Our Father which art in heaven." Father! Oh, what precious word is that. Here is authority: "If I be a Father, where is mine honour?" If ye be sons, where is your obedience? Here is affection mingled with authority; an authority which does not provoke rebellion; an obedience demanded which is most cheerfully rendered-which would not be withheld even if it might. The obedience which God's children yield to Him must be loving obedience. Do not go about the service of God as slaves to their taskmaster's toil, but run in the way of His commands because it is your Father's way. Yield your bodies as instruments of righteousness, because righteousness is your Father's will, and His will should be the will of His child. Father!-Here is a kingly attribute so sweetly veiled in love, that the King's crown is forgotten in the King's face, and His sceptre becomes, not a rod of iron, but a silver sceptre of mercy-the sceptre indeed seems to be forgotten in the tender hand of Him who wields it. Father!-Here is honour and love. How great is a Father's love to his children! That which friendship cannot do, and mere benevolence will not attempt, a father's heart and hand must do for his sons. They are his offspring, he must bless them; they are his children, he must show himself strong in their defence. If an earthly father watches over his children with unceasing love and care, how much more does our heavenly Father? Abba, Father! He who can say this, hath uttered better music than cherubim or seraphim can reach. There is heaven in the depth of that word-Father! There is all I can ask; all my necessities can demand; all my wishes can desire. I have all in all to all eternity when I can say, "Father."

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Alistair Begg: "The Steadfast Love of the Lord"

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The Steadfast Love of the Lord
Alistair Begg
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
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And can you not do this? Are there no mercies that you have experienced? What! Though you are gloomy now, can you forget that blessed hour when Jesus met you and said, "Come unto me"? Can you not remember that rapturous moment when He snapped your fetters, dashed your chains to the earth, and said, "I came to break your bonds and set you free"? Or if the love of your conversion be forgotten, there must surely be some precious milestone along the road of life not quite grown over with moss, on which you can read a happy memorial of His mercy toward you. What! Did you never have a sickness like that which you are suffering now, and did He not restore you? Were you never poor before, and did He not supply your wants? Were you never in difficulties before, and did He not deliver you?

Arise, go to the river of your experience and pull up a few bulrushes and fashion them into an ark, in which your infant-faith may float safely on the stream. Forget not what your God has done for you; turn over the book of your remembrance, and consider the days of old. Can you not remember the hill Mizar? Did the Lord never meet with you at Hermon? Have you never climbed the Delectable Mountains? Have you never been helped in time of need? I know you have. Go back, then, a little way to the choice mercies of yesterday, and though all may be dark now, light up the lamps of the past--they shall glitter through the darkness, and you shall trust in the Lord till the day break and the shadows flee away. "Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old." 

Family Bible reading plan

verse 1 Genesis 26

verse 2 Matthew 25 

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JonCourson: “All men shall know you are My disciples,”

January 26
 
  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.  
  Joshua 10:13-14  
 
Do you ever come to the end of a day feeling frustrated, tense, or anxious because the day slipped away before you could accomplish even half of the things you intended to do? Does it ever seem to you like there’s just not enough “day” in your day? There are so many obligations and responsibilities, opportunities and activities that the day seems to dissipate. And sometimes that can fill us with a great degree of frustration.

Such was not the case with Joshua. With the day elongated, he was able to do what the Lord commanded him to do. How? He spoke to the sun. We can do the same. In our world, to be busy is to be important. But such is not the case in God’s economy. To Him, busyness is more of a curse than an asset. That is why Jesus says, “My burden is easy and My load is light. Come unto Me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Learn of Me and you will find rest in your soul” (see Matthew 11:28-30). Therefore, if, like Joshua, you and I speak to the Son, things will stand still because He’ll whisper in our ear, “Now that you’ve spent a bit of time with Me, talked things over, made confession of sin, read some Scripture, here’s a couple things I want you to do today . . .” 

We waste so much time trying to figure out what we should do next. And when we don’t get to it, we feel condemned about it. In reality, the decision ought to have been made early in the day. I’m not saying there’s no room for flexibility, but for the most part, I have discovered that the real key is to say early in the day, “Lord, what do You want me to do? By Your grace and with Your help, that’s what I’ll do.” 

And as I do those things, as I come to the end of the day, I realize the sun has indeed stood still. Therefore, like Jesus, I’m able to say, “Father, I’ve finished the work You gave me to do” (see John 17:4). The tensions disappear; the burdens dissipate; and I find myself living a life of serenity and tranquility to a much greater degree.

What God gives us to do is doable. Do what our Greater-than-Joshua did day by day. Before the day begins, find a quiet place and have a quiet time with a quiet heart. Let God direct your day: you will have fewer decisions to make and you’ll be victorious in a whole new way.

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JoyceMeyer: "Guarding Our Hearts"

Guarding Our Hearts

January 26
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. 
—Proverbs 4:23

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace . . . which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
—Philippians 4:6-7

I like to connect the verse from Proverbs with Paul’s words to the Philippians. We read that God tells us to guard our hearts—to watch over them carefully. But what does that really mean? It means to be alert or watchful about the ways of the enemy. It’s easy to become careless about guarding our hearts and being alert to Satan’s subtle tactics when things are going our way and God is pouring out His blessings on our lives. 

All of us face struggles from time to time, but when we diligently stand guard over our hearts, we become more aware that God’s plan is for us to overcome. 

Instead of using the word guard, I like to think of it this way: We need to post a sentinel around our hearts or, as it says above, “garrison and mount guard.” Think of what a guard or sentinel does—he’s on duty. He watches for the enemy to attack. He’s not just ready; he’s actively watchful and prepared to resist all attacks from the enemy. 

That’s how we need to live—with a trustworthy sentinel. It doesn’t mean we live in fear or constantly have to check to see if the devil is sneaking around. Think of it more as posting a sentinel to do that for us. 

What kind of sentinel do we need? I think of the two most obvious ones: prayer and the Word of God. If we pray for God’s Holy Spirit to guard our hearts, He will honor that request. When the enemy creeps up, the sentinel calls out, “Thus saith the Lord,” and the enemy flees. (The devil really is a coward and won’t openly fight us.) 

Read Paul’s wordsagain. If we push away our anxieties (which we do by prayer and supplication) and fill our heart with thanksgiving, God’s peace stands guard over us. God helps us resist any charge of the enemy. 

We also must not minimize thanksgiving. That’s such a simple way to keep ourselves alert to Satan’s devices. As we give thanks to God through our words and our songs, we are guarding our hearts. As the old hymn says: “Count your blessings—name them one by one; count your many blessings—see what God has done.”3 

It’s more than just singing a few words, however—it is actually pausing on purpose to remember all the good things that God has done in our lives. As we rejoice over past blessings, we open ourselves to more blessings in the future. 

Another ally we sometimes overlook is other believers. When we’re aware of our weaknesses, we can agree in prayer with other believers. We can ask them to pray specifically that we won’t be misled or attacked by the enemy when we’re not as alert as we should be. Other believers can intercede for us—just as we can for them. What better guards can we post than those who cry out to God on behalf of others? The devil doesn’t like hearing such prayers. 

  
Pray this...
  
Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me be alert against any attack of the enemy by posting the sentinels of prayer and Your Word at the door of my heart. I praise You for showing me how to guard my heart, and pray that I will have a continuously thankful heart.  Amen.

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CharlesStanley: " Blessing Others"

Devotionals by In Touch

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Blessing Others
Charles Stanley
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
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The other day as I was walking through a store, I happened to sneeze, and a gentleman nearby offered the typical response, "Bless you." This caused me to think about what that common expression actually means—namely, a request for divine favor—and the different ways we can bless others. 

First, we can bless people by praying for them, and we should be specific when bringing such petitions to the Lord. General requests like "please bless him" can become rote and devoid of meaning. Besides, supplications with greater detail might bring more identifiable answers. And imagine how others will be encouraged when they see that we cared enough to pray thoughtfully—and God cared enough to fulfill the request.

Second, we can ask God's favor on events and situations. Of course, He will respond only when these have His approval. For example, it is appropriate to request the Lord's presence in a church service, and to ask that He touch those present.

Third, we can bless God. We do this by expressing our praise and thanksgiving for His character and for what He has done (Ps. 104:1). Blessing Him also takes place through our obedience, service, and desire to please Him. When we place Him first in our lives, He is honored.

The Lord provides a vast array of good gifts, and the desire for such benefits is normal and universal. In fact, as we yearn for divine blessings, why not apply the golden rule as a motivation to bless others—including God Himself—through prayer and service?

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BobCaldwell: "HEAR HIM"

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2011 (TOP)

HEAR HIM

(DEUTERONOMY 18:1-19:21)

  "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear." -Deuteronomy 18:15

In this section we are given one of the ancient prophecies that foretold of Christ's coming, referring to Him as a "prophet." This coming prophet takes on greater and greater clarity as more and more of the Old Testament is written. These partial revelations find their fulfillment in Christ, the New Testament letter written to the Hebrew Christians described this process of progressive revelation by saying, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds" (Heb. 1:1-2). Because of who the Christ will be, Moses commands us to now hear Him (18:15).

Moses was the greatest of those whom God spoke through until Christ came. Here as a voice for this new nation, Moses lays out principles on social issues to guide God's people out of paganism and into truth. There are practical guidelines for those in ministry (18:1-7), for their relationships to pagan occult practices (18:9-14), and judicial guidelines (19:1-21). These practical judicial guidelines continue to have application to this day.

The forms of paganism change from culture to culture, and from generation to generation. But our response is to be the same as it was for ancient Israel. We must accept the fact that Satan provides endless counterfeits of God's power and glory. It is up to us to not give ourselves to whatever pop philosophy or experience may come along to draw us away from God. Satan is insanely jealous of God and will do anything to rob our hearts from God. We must therefore test all things and then hold to what can stand the light of truth.

Lastly, Moses teaches that we must be a people who are committed to legal and social justice. Cities of refuge, protection for property and rights, and assurance of justice and honesty in providing protection from corrupt proceedings are still essential in this fallen world (19:1-21). This is the balance. Let us hear Christ (18:15) but let us also have in place practical guidelines to assure what is right for those in society because not everyone will hear or obey Christ. From the servant of God to the man who stands before his accuser in court, may what we hear from Christ become the framework to serve a society that often is not listening to the voice of God.

NKJV BIBLE TEXT

Deuteronomy 18:1-19:21

  The Portion of the Priests and Levites

1 "The priests, the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His portion. 2 Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He said to them.

3 "And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. 4 The firstfruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5 For the LORD your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons forever.

6 "So if a Levite comes from any of your gates, from where he dwells among all Israel, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the LORD chooses, 7 then he may serve in the name of the LORD his God as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the LORD. 8 They shall have equal portions to eat, besides what comes from the sale of his inheritance.

Avoid Wicked Customs

9 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.

A New Prophet Like Moses

15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the LORD your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.'

17 "And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

DEUTERONOMY 19

Three Cities of Refuge

1 "When the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you dispossess them and dwell in their cities and in their houses, 2 you shall separate three cities for yourself in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess. 3 You shall prepare roads for yourself, and divide into three parts the territory of your land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, that any manslayer may flee there.

4 "And this is the case of the manslayer who flees there, that he may live: Whoever kills his neighbor unintentionally, not having hated him in time past— 5 as when a man goes to the woods with his neighbor to cut timber, and his hand swings a stroke with the ax to cut down the tree, and the head slips from the handle and strikes his neighbor so that he dies—he shall flee to one of these cities and live; 6 lest the avenger of blood, while his anger is hot, pursue the manslayer and overtake him, because the way is long, and kill him, though he was not deserving of death, since he had not hated the victim in time past. 7 Therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall separate three cities for yourself.'

8 "Now if the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as He swore to your fathers, and gives you the land which He promised to give to your fathers, 9 and if you keep all these commandments and do them, which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and to walk always in His ways, then you shall add three more cities for yourself besides these three, 10 lest innocent blood be shed in the midst of your land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, and thus guilt of bloodshed be upon you.

11 "But if anyone hates his neighbor, lies in wait for him, rises against him and strikes him mortally, so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and bring him from there, and deliver him over to the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 Your eye shall not pity him, but you shall put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with you.

Property Boundaries

14 "You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in your inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

The Law Concerning Witnesses

15 "One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established. 16 If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing, 17 then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days. 18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, 19 then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. 20 And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity: life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

The Portion of the Priests and Levites

v. 1 the priests, the Levites – In order to be a priest, one must be from the Jewish tribe of Levi. The first part of this chapter describes the support of the tribe of Levi, the one tribe God selected out of all of Israel to serve Him in full-time ministry. Because they were forbidden to own land, and thus were given no "inheritance" in the land of Israel, they needed the support of the offerings of God's people.

v. 3 shall be the priests due – (or "right") God reveals here that the priests have a right to receive the tithes of God's people in order to live and support their families. Other passages in the Law, such as Leviticus 7:32-34, further describe the portion of the sacrifices which belonged to the priests.

v. 4 the first fruits – The principle of "first fruits" ordained that the first and best portion of an Israelite's livestock and produce belong to the Lord. Here, God reveals that a portion of that first fruits belonged to the Levites.

v. 6 comes from any of your gates – The principle is that no matter where in Israel a Levite resides, he has the right to enter into the ministry and be supported by the giving of God's people.

Avoid Wicked Customs

v. 9 the abominations of those nations – The following section of Deuteronomy addresses the treatment of counterfeit "ministers," those that come into Israel claiming to be spiritual leaders but who in reality are false prophets and leaders of false religions. This section stands in opposition to the instruction on how to honor and support the Levites. The passage goes on to describe nine detestable practices of the Canaanites.

v. 10 pass through the fire – This phrase refers to the detestable worship of the Canaanite god Molech. In some cases, two fires were built and a priest of Molech carried an infant in between, thus initiating them into the religion. In other cases, children were actually burned alive on the arms of an idol (Deut. 12:31).

Witchcraft – A broad word describing one who seeks to discern the will of the gods by examining and interpreting omens; anyone who strives to make contact with the spiritual underworld in order to obtain guidance.

Soothsayer – A word coming from the root "to hiss"; refers to one who uses divination to prognosticate the future through interpreting the stars, weather, or planets (including those given to astrology and horoscopes)

sorcerer – Comes from a root word meaning "whisperer"; one who casts spells and/or uses psychedelic drugs to gain spiritual knowledge

v. 11 medium – Comes from a root meaning "to inquire"; one who seeks to contact the dead in order to obtain secret information

Spiritist – Comes from a root meaning "a mumbler"; one who claims to wield psychic knowledge or powers

v. 12 all who do these – God reveals that as He drove the Canaanites out of their land for these practices, He will also turn His face against Israel if they are found holding fast to these things. Although this is an Old Testament passage, it reveals the unchanging heart of God toward all of these things. None of God's people should ever be found having involvement with such practices.

A New Prophet Like Moses

v. 15 a prophet like me – In the next few verses, Moses prophecys about the coming of Jesus Christ. He will come from among the people of Israel and be the next great Prophet to speak to the nation of Israel and lead them into a new dispensation of God's dealings with men, Moses being the deliverer of the Old Covenant, Jesus the New Covenant. In Acts 3:22,23 Peter reveals that is was Jesus whom Moses was speaking about here. Hebrews 3:1-6 also makes it clear that it is in fact Jesus that Moses is speaking of, and he draws some comparisons between Moses and Jesus. The author is clear, however, to remind the Hebrews that Jesus is far greater and more important than Moses, as He is counted worthy of more glory than Moses. Moses was a servant in the house of God but Jesus was its Maker (Heb. 3:3); Jesus is actually God (Heb. 3:4); Moses was faithful to God but Jesus is the Son of God (Heb. 3:6). Jesus Himself stated in John 5:45-47 that Moses wrote about Him. Here in Deuteronomy 18, Moses teaches that it will be far more important to hear and obey Jesus than Moses.

v. 19 will require it – In Matthew 12:38-42 and Luke 10:13-16 Jesus reveals that it is those that hear His words and reject Him that are the most accountable to judgment.

v. 22 does not happen or come to pass – Under Old Testament Law, if a person presumes to speak a word of prophecy in the name of the Lord and it would not come to pass, that person is to be considered a false prophet and be put to death. Thus, a false prophet is not always going to be overtly blasphemous, as in the case of a prophet of Baal or Ashteroth. He could come speaking in the name of Jehovah God and yet be a "wolf in sheep's clothing."

Chapter 19

Three Cities of Refuge

v. 2 separate three cities – In chapter 4:41-43, the Lord had instructed Israel to set apart three of the cities which they had captured already as "cities of refuge." Here, He commands them that out of the cities of the Canaanites which Israel will soon conquer, they are to set aside three in particular to be dedicated for that same purpose. Cities of refuge are to be set aside as safe havens for anyone who accidentally kills another person. Before the cities were established, the people of Israel were encouraged to run to the Tabernacle and grab the horns of the altar in order to be considered safe from vengeance. However, once in the Promised Land, most people in Israel found the Tabernacle too far away from where they lived. For that reason, these cities are to be set aside. God tells them that these cities are to be "in the midst of your land," meaning that they are to be centrally located and easily accessible to everyone (Num. 35:9-28, Josh. 20:7-9).

v. 3 manslayer – One who brings about the death of another without malice or premeditation (v. 4) but rather by accident, as in the case of a mishap while working together in a field (v. 5).

v. 6 avenger of blood – In the case of murder in Israel, it was the right and responsibility of next of kin to the deceased to pursue and overtake the murderer, and bring him to justice in court. That person was called the "avenger of blood." It was considered a matter of honor and is still the prevailing mentality in many areas of the Middle East today. Here God advises them that in the case of manslaughter, though the person who caused the death of another may be innocent of murder, the avenger of blood may still feel as if he has been wronged and desires to overtake the one responsible for his family member's death. This is what is meant by "while his anger is hot," thus the purpose of the cities of refuge.

v. 8 enlarges your territory – The Lord knows that Israel, in the state which it was in at that time, would not conquer and occupy the entire borders that were promised to their father Abraham as a possession. However, they would over time increase their borders in later periods of history in the days of David and Solomon (1 Kings 4:21) during which they are faithful and obedient to God. When this occurs, the Lord instructs them that they need to appoint three more cities of refuge than the ones they first had dedicated (v. 9).

v. 11 if anyone hates his neighbor – In the case of premeditated murder or death brought about intentionally, the cities of refuge are not applicable and are not to be considered a safe haven for the offender. In such an instance, verse 12 instructs the elders of the city in which the murder took place to send men into the city of refuge, retrieve the offender, and deliver him to the avenger of blood. This was, as is said in verse 13, meant to prevent a mindset in Israel of leniency toward violent crime.

Property Boundaries

v. 14 not remove your neighbor's landmark – The landmark was either a cord which stretched along the boundaries of a person's property, or stones which were set up at the corners, meant as a property line and to signify ownership. Moving such a boundary equated to stealing land from one's neighbor. In issuing this ordinance, the Lord here reinforces the right of His people to own private property and warns against the unlawful taking of that which belongs to another (the Eighth of the Ten Commandments).

The Law Concerning Witnesses

v. 15 one witness shall not rise up – The Lord again repeats the principle of "two or more witnesses" being required to convict a person of crime in Israel (Deut. 17:6). In the following verses, He states that if only one witness stands up in accusation, he may be a false witness. Thus it was required of him to stand before the priests who governed in that day. This was a way of directly involving the Word of the Lord in a case that was unclear and unknowable to the people of Israel.

v. 18 a false witness – The one who turns out to be a false witness against his neighbor (the Ninth of the Ten Commandments) was to suffer the same punishment reserved for the one falsely accused.

v. 12 life shall be for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot – This statute was meant to put a limit on the retribution that could be exacted for harm done to another in Israel. If the offender removed the eye of a victim, the most that could be taken from him in retribution was an eye of his own (as compared to issuing something more severe, such as the death penalty). It is important to remember that these commands were issued to people that lived under the Old Covenant, and thus did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them to guide them and change their hearts. When Jesus became a man and began teaching the people and preparing them for life under the New Covenant, He showed us a better way to live, which is to willingly suffer wrong if necessary rather than demand retribution (Matt. 5:38-42). That is the "law" which we are to live under as Christians today.

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